Rotary drilling apparatus



NOV. 9, 1943. D E Y 2,333,847

ROTARY DRILLING APPRATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 arro1] L. De 61 INVENT R.

ATTORNEY.

. Filed Jan. 5, 1940 2 ShetsShee 2 L H 0 n "-ATTORNEY.

' to a combined rotary ing gland around the age therefrom.

Patented Nov. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,333,847 ROTARY mm.mvc APPARATS Carroll L. Deely, Dallas, l'ex. Application January 5,1940{Seflalblo. 312,590 7 Claims. (Cl. 255-19) This invention relates to an improvement in rotary dfilling apparatus. and more particularly table and casing head.

In the usual system of power driven rotary apparatus, a rotary table is used to suspend a hollow drill stem carrying a drill bit, and rotation the table impartg tuming movement to the drill stem to accomplish the drilling operatien. The drill stem operates in a well Casing which is usually closed at the top by a casing head secured thereto and provided with a packdrill stem. This usually locates the rotary table above the casing head through which the drill stem operates, and the separate and spaced relation et the rotary table and casing head renders the construction unstable and insecure. 4

When 3, square or polygonal kelly is used in the rotary table, it has been necessary heretoiore to provide for a rotary bearing within the casing head to permit turning movement of the kelly relative thereto, with packing to confine the liquid, but this has been found objectionable bewearing out 01 the packing cause of the frequent and the difflculty and expense of providing etfective packing between the kelly and the head of the casing.

The object of this invention is to improvethe construction of the rotary drilling apparatus by combining the rotary table and the head in one unit which is provided with a rotary sleeve that is power driven, is packed ofi' efiectively to prevent the leakage of fluid for use of either a round drill stem or a polygonal kelly, and which materially simplifies the construction of the rotary unit, reducing its cost, and elimlnating to a. substantial extent the wearing out ci the packing of the drill stem or kelly.

This object is accompished by the provision ci. a casing head attached to the-'usual well casing and upon which is mounted a housing. A sleeve is journaled in the housing and is power drlven so as to rotate the drill stem or kelly supported thereby, and which sleeve has an effective packing between the same and the drill stem or kelly that packs off the casing head, preventing a leak- I have shown a preierred embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawlngs. in

which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the combined rotary and casing head;

' brace the casing Fig. 4 is a side elevation removed: and

Fig. 5 ls a transverse sectional view through a rotary sleeve for a polygonal kelly.

Fig. 1 shows the invention applied to a well casing designated generally by the numeral l, within which a drill pipe or kelly 2 is operatively mounted; and in drllling at the bottom of the casing, the drill pipe 2 usually carries a drill bit thereon. the rotation 01 which accomplishes the drilling operation.

Attached to the upper end of the casing l is a casing head 3 which may be screw-threaded thereon for support by the casing. Superimposed on the casing head 3 is a housing 9 provided with downwardly extendlng legs 5 that emhead 3 and are provided with lateral fianges 8 seated thereon between upstanding ribs 1 on the upper face of the,casing head, as shown in Fig. 3. The legs 5 are secured to the sldes 01 the casing head by screws 8.

The housing 9 is provided With an internal chamber 10 adapted to be filled substantially full of lubricant or grease, and is clqsed at the top by a cover plate Il secured thereto by scmws l2.

Operatlvely mounted in anti-friction bearings l3, such as tapered roller bearings as shown, and which are mounted respectively in the bottom and top of the chamber l0, is a rotary sleeve l4, shown detached in Fig. 4, and provided with a hub I5 from which upper and lower reduced portions l5 and H respectively extend. The roller bearings l3 engage and support the sleeve M on opposite sldes of the hub l5, forming end thrust bearings therefor, and Journaling said sleeve for rotation in the housing s.

. A ring gear l8 surrounds the hub [5 in the chamber l(l, and is securely boltedthereto at l9 for rotting the sleeve. The ring gear l8 meshes with a pinion 20 mounted on a stub drive shaft 2l extending laterally through a wall of the housing 4 and journaled in bearings 22 therein. The bearings 22 are assembled in a radial sleeve 23 extending into the wall of the housing 4 and attached thereto by bolts 24. The stub shaft 2l usually is driven by a sprocket wheel mounted thereon, as indicated in dotted fines by the numeral 25 in Fig. 1, operated from the usual rotary angine or drawworks, although it may. also be provided With a universal joint, shown at 26., through which the stub shaft 21 is driven from a. drive shaft 21 connected with the source 01 power, for rotating the same and turning the ring gear I8.

of the rotary sleeve,

The upper sleeve portion 16 entends through the anti-frction bearings l3 and through and above the housing cover Il. A' rotary table 28 has a splined connection with the upper end of the reduced sleeve portion l6, the latter being provided with spline grooves 29 therein (Fig. 4) to interfit With grooves formed in the central opening in the table 28, providng a tight fit therebetween for rotating the table upon tuming movement of the sleeve l4. The rotary table 28 is secured against axial displaccment relative to the sleeve portion l6 by a locking screw 30 extending radiaily in the rotary table and engaging in an orifice 31 (Fig. 4) in the sleeve portion l6.

A deD6nding annular rib 32 extends downward from the under side of the rotary table 28 and overlaps an upstanding amiular rib 33 on the cover il et the housing, the rib 33 being provided with an 011 seal 34 therein around the sleeve portion [6, which elements 32-34 form a labyrinth packing around the rotating sleeve, tending to preVent lubricant from escaping between the housing 9 and the rotary table 28, as well as to prevent the entrance of foreign matter, dirt, etc., into the lubricant chamber Il).

A slip bonnet 35 is seated upon the rotary table 28 and is secured thereto by the engagement of lugs 36 on the table in orifices 31 in the bonnet 35, to cause rotation of the bonnet with the rotary table. Pins 38 extend through the lugs 36 to prevent the separation of the parts. The slip bonnet 35 carries the usual slips 39 removably seated therein, and which slips engage and hold on the table, drill stem or kelly 2, while screwing or unscrewing the pipe connections.

The upper portion of the rotary sleeve l4 is provided With a recess 40 therein having a shoulder 4l at the lower end of the recess. A packing is fitted in the recess 40, preferably a rubber packing sleeve, as designated by the numeral 42, which fits the recess between the surrounding wall thereof and the periphery of the drill stem or kelly 2, and fitted at its lower end on the shoulder 4l. bellows shape, a conventional form, for eflectively packing the opening in the rotary sleeve l4 around the drill stem, and to accommodate either a round tubing or a polygonal kelly, either ci. which may be employed. The packing sleeve 42 is held in compressed relation between the shoulder 4! and a spacing ring 43 that is engaged by a packing gland nut 44 screw-threaded into the upper end of the sleeve portion l 6 for adjustment therein to provid the required pressure on the packing and prevent leakage therethrough around the drill stem.

The lower sleeve portion H extends downward through the hosing 9 and the lower anti-frictien bearing l3 in the bottom wall thereof, and through the casing head 3. An cil seal 45 surrounds the sleeve portion 11 beneath the lower anti-fricticn bearing I3 to prevent the leakage cf lubricant from the chamber III.

The lower end of the sleeve portion l1 is journaled in a bearing 46 fltted in the casing head 3 with a close fit between said bearing and sleeve tending to prevent the entrance of oil, mud, or foreign matter therebetwecn. The sleeve portion The packing sleeve 42 is shown as of- Il is also surrounded by packng4l, confined by a packing gland 48 which is fitted to the upper portion of the casing head 3, being secured thereto by the usual screws 49. The packing gland 48 is capable of removal from the casing head and withdrawn between the legs 5 of the housing 9 for replacement of the packing 41.

The sleeve packing 42 may also be remcved and. replaced readily by removal of the packing gland nut 44 which then permits the withdrawal of the packing sleeve.

particulafly adapted for the drilling in and cleaning out of Wells where it may be desired to cir culate fluid in either direction, for which purpose it is important that the casing head be ef fectively packed while permittlng rotation 01 the drill stem or kelly relative thereto, and a fluid connecticn 50 is provided in a side of the casing head 3 for circulating fluid inco or out of the casing.

As shown in Fig. 2, the housing 9 is provided with eyelets 5! on opposite sides of the drive shaft 2l for attaching the source of power or driving equipment to the housing and holding the parts in properly spaced and braced relation.

It will be obvious that the invention is used in the usual manner of operating rotary apparatus, whereby the drill stem or kelly 2 is supported on the rotary table 28 for rotation with the sleeve l4 as the latter is driven by the drive shaft 2l The unit combines the rotary table with the casing head for compactness et structure, and provides an efiective packing relation between the drill stem or kelly and the rotary sleeve, avoiding undue wear on the packng, while accommodating a drill stem or kelly of dilerent shapes, and yet effectively packing of the latter against leakage without undue expense.

Where a polygonal kelly is used, as indicated at 52 in Fig. 5, the axial opening 53 in the rotary sleeve section Il should also be of polygonal shape, as shown, whereby longitudinal movement of the kelly is permitted while maintaining the driving connection therebetween.

It will be understood that a conventional drive bushing for a polygonal kelly may be substituted for the slips 3.9; and when a round drill stem is used, a friction drive may be substituted for the slips which will permit free longitudinal movement relative to the sleeve l4 while maintalning the rotary driving relation.

It is often desirable to use a rotary table for screwing or unscrewing drill stem joints. This is accomplished by rotating one joint 01 pipe while holding another. I have found that this action may be.Iacilitated materially by an overload clutch within the drive system capable of disengagemcnt when the torsion of the drive shaft exceeds a predetermined point. In this manner, the threads of the drill pipe are protected against shearing, and the pipe, from being damaged otherwise.

I claim:

1. In rotary drilling apparatus, the combination 0! a. casing head adapted to be secured to a well casing, a housing, a sleeve joumaled in the housing for turning movement relative thereto. means providing a fluid tight relation between said sleeve and the casing head, a rotary table mounted on the sleeve for turning movement therewith and having upstanding lugs thereon, means seated on the rotary table and detachably connected with the lugs for supporting a drilling member for turning movement therewith while extending through the sleeve into the casing, and means for providing a fluid tight relation between said sleeve and the drilling member.

2. In rotary drilling apparatus, the combination ci a casing head adapted to be secured to a well casing, a housing supported on the casing head, and having a chamber therein, a sleeve journaled in the housing for turning movement relative thereto and having a depending sleeve portion extending into the casing head, means for providlng a packing between said sleeve portion and the casing head, a rotary table carried by the sleeve and having upstanding lugs thereon, means for supporting a drilling member on the rotary table and detachably connected with the lugs for turning movement of the sleeve while said member extends through the casing head into the casing, and means for providing a fluid tight relation between the sleeve and said drilling member.

3. In rotary driliing apparatus, the combination of a casing head adapted to be secured to a Well casing, a housing supported on the oasing head, and having a chamber therein, a sleeve journaled in the housing for turning mov'ement relative thereto and having a depending sleeve portion extending into the casing head, means within the housingfor operating the sleeve, a rotary table having a splined connection with the upper end of the sleeve above said housing for turning movement therewith, a pin interconnecting the sleeve and table preventing relative axial movement, means for supporting a drilling member on said rotary table for turning movement With the sleeve, and means for proyding a fluid tight relation between said sleeve and the drilling member.

4. In rotary drilling apparatus, the combination of a casing head adapted to be secured to a well casing, a housing having depending legs seated on the casing head for supporting the housing thereupon, said housing having a Chamber therein, a sleeve extending through the housing and journaled in opposite sides of said chamber for turning movement relative thereto, said sleeve having a depending portion extending into the casing head, means forming a fiuid tight relation between the casing head and said depending sleeve portion, bevel gearing enclosed in the housing chamber for rotating the sleeve, a drive shaft extending radially through the housing and connected with said bevel gearing for operating the same, a rotary table mounted on the upper end of said sleeve above the housing, and means supported on the rotary table.for mounting a drilling member therein while said drilllng member extends through the sleeve to the casing.

5. In rotary drilling apparatus, the combination of a casing head adapted to be secured to a well casing, a housing having depending legs seated on the casing head for supporting the housing thereupon, said housing having a chamber therein, a sleeve extending through the hous ing and jourhaled in opposite sides of said chamber for tuming movement relative thereto, said sleeve having a depending portion extendjng into the casing head, means forming a fiuid tight relation between the casing head and said depending sleeve portion, gearing enclosed in the housing chamber for rotating the sleeve, a drive shaft extending laterally through the housing and con-V nected with said gearing for operating the same, a rotary table mounted on the upper end of said sleeve above the housing, means supported on the rotary table for mounting a drilling member therein while said drilling member extends through the sleeve to the casing, said sleeve having a recess therein through which the drilling member is adapted to extend and open to one end of the sleeve, radially expansible packing means housed within said recess for providing a fiuid tight relation between the drilling member and the sleeve and expansible for movement of the drilling member and connected parts therethrough, and means for confining the packing means therein.

ber therethrough, a housing enclosing said sleeve and'hav'ng a. top, said sleeve projecting upwardly throughthe top, et rotary table having a splined connection with the sleeve above the top, 3. pin

extending radially of the sleeve and table detachably connecting the same together, and means for supporting the drilling member on the table.

7. In rotary drilling apparatus, the combination of a casing head structure adapted to be secured t0 a well casing, a drilling member extending therethrough With -couplings thereon and adapted for rotation in the casing, a housing connected with the casing head structure and having a chamber therein, a sleeve extending through the houslng and journaled in opposite sides of said chamber for .turning movement relative thereto, said sleeve having a depending portion extending to the casing head structure, means for forming a substantially fiuid tight relation between said casing head structure and said dber extends through the sleeve, said sleeve having greater interna] diameter from end to end thereof than the drilling member and couplings, and accordionsleeve packing enclosed in the sleeve between the same and the drilling member for sllding movement of the drilling member and couplings therethrough.

CARROIL L. DEELY. 

